Well it is definitely a noise but I certainly wouldn’t call it joyful. Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah star as rivals who must work together in order for their choir group to reach the national finals. Can they put their differences aside? Will Parton’s grandson get the girl? Will an Asperger’s sufferer be cured by the power of song? Will they win the final? Will anybody manage to get to the end without throwing up or slitting their wrists?

Given the film’s nauseating and oh so predictable synopsis it is unsurprising to find the story is slathered in trite life lessons and inspirational stories of inner strength and faith in God. If there is one thing I hate more than…

Harmless enough, this film showcases Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah who are rivals in their church choir. Cliché upon cliché clogs this film, but its heart is in the right place, and there are bits of pieces of musical 'joy' in this women's picture.

If you're in the right mood, this is a film which can be enjoyed, but perhaps you have to be a fan of Dolly, who is getting more plastic by the day, to really appreciate it.

According to the movies, there is competition for everything complete with Regionals, an underdog team (our protagonists) and a villainous "Goliath" team that needs to be defeated for our heroes to triumph. Oh and the finals are always huge, well attended and sometimes even televised. I kept waiting for the ESPN announcers to show up at the JOYFUL NOISE finals. I bet I could go out and recite Shakespeare in Klingon, design a competition around it and get a movie made complete with misfits and a rousing ending that has the crowd on its feet.

This movie has no idea what it's really about. Is it about a church choir competition? A small town choir trying to uplift a recession…

There are absolutely no surprises in this movie. What you think is going to happen is exactly what will happen. At the end of the day, that might have been acceptable if we could have had some good, meaty scenes between Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah, which is the only reason to watch the movie. Unfortunately, those scenes are very few and far between (in fact, Parton seems rather marginalized throughout the entire film). Instead most of the time is taken up dealing with the "next generation", the children and grandchildren of the leads. We don't care about them. In the end, the movie is so slight you can see through it, and without more scenes with the stars, it just isn't worth the time it takes to watch it.

This musical, starring Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer, Courtney B. Vance, Francis Jue, and introducing Jeremy Jordan was written and directed by Todd Graff, with gospel-infused music by Mervyn Warren. It is made for a certain type of audience and it won't be popular all around the globe. If you like religious tones and find joy in listening good singers give 100%, it is a perfect way to spend joyful afternoon. On the other hand, if you like a real story, not just carefully assorted choice of feel-good clichés, maybe you should choose something else in your nearest video store.

There is not much to say about the plot of this movie: After the untimely death of the church…

There is a good story about these characters, but unfortunately it's not told in this movie. There is a moment towards the end when Dolly Parton engages in a duet, which would have been a beautiful moving scene if it had actually been set up by anything earlier. Instead it taps into feelings that are conspicuously absent throughout.

Most progression of the story seems arbitrary and no characters are actually believable. The heart of the movie is the musical performances and they are borderline unbearable. Not because they are bad, but because they are supposed to be amazing.

The thing that really works is the vicious banter between Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah. They are hilariously toxic.

Harmless enough, this film showcases Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah who are rivals in their church choir. Cliché upon cliché clogs this film, but its heart is in the right place, and there are bits of pieces of musical 'joy' in this women's picture.

If you're in the right mood, this is a film which can be enjoyed, but perhaps you have to be a fan of Dolly, who is getting more plastic by the day, to really appreciate it.

I absolutely loved this movie. It had great meaning for those of the faith in that sometimes when something is not working out we have reinvent ourselves or commit to the journey to see results. It is a movie that all could relate to in that it shows the struggles that exist in today's economy. It keeps it real. People in church are not perfect. We are constantly striving to be and do better and this film shows that in so many aspects. Look beyond the surface and find the deeper meaning. There is a lesson in everything if only you open your eyes and heart up to more than what your eyes can see. If you think about it that is what faith is, Faith is believing even though you can't see nor touch it. Just go out and see the movie. It is awesome!!

For those who enjoy choir music … or just good music in general … this is a fine film, funny in parts and uplifting in others. Small roles by cast members from the TV series “Law & Order” add to the fun. Joyful noise, indeed.